How Asbestos Affects Us?

“Asbestos” is the name given to a group of minerals that occur naturally as bundles of fibers which can be separated into thin threads. These fibers are not affected by heat or chemicals and do not conduct electricity. For these reasons, asbestos has been widely used in many industries.

The generic name "asbestos" belongs to a group of minerals called "asbestiform" minerals. Asbestos is a fibrous material which is mined from serpentine rock. Basically, rock was mined and crushed. When the rock was crushed, fibrous stands of asbestos were extracted from the rock. The strands where put in bags and shipped to manufacturing facilities were the asbestos was used as an ingredient in insulation and other materials.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma kills 1,800 people a year - more than cervical cancer - but there is no cure and treatment only relieves the symptoms.

Mesothelioma affects the mesothelial tissue surrounding the lungs. The aggressive cancer develops decades after asbestos exposure.

Earlier detection would mean doctors could treat the patient using chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery.

Thirty-seven people out of 44 with mesothelioma had high SMR levels - an 84% accurate detection rate.

Out of seven people who had been exposed to asbestos who also had increased blood concentrations of SMR, three went on to develop mesothelioma and one lung cancer within five years of the study.

The researchers said their findings indicated SMR could be a useful way to monitor the growth of mesothelial tumours because concentrations were seen to increase during tumour progression.

The number of annual deaths from mesothelioma has been steadily increasing since the early 1960s when a couple of hundred a year died.

Domestic consumption of asbestos amounted to about 719,000 metric tons in 1973, but it had dropped to about 9,000 metric tons by 2002. Asbestos is currently used most frequently in gaskets and in roofing and friction products.

The death rate is expected to keep rising until 2015. By 2050 90,000 people are expected to have died from the cancer.

About the Author:
Alfred J.James
Mesothelioma is a rare disease that is strongly related to exposure to Asbestos. Find out about Asbestos Hazards at http://www.ewhy.info
Article Source: www.iSnare.com

The Most Fatal Killer - Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most fatal cancers worldwide, causing up to three million deaths annually...

Lung cancer is one of the most fatal cancers worldwide, causing up to three million deaths annually. Only one in ten patients diagnosed with this disease will survive the next five years. Although this was an illness that previously affected predominantly men, this disease rate for women has been increasing in the last few years because of the rising ratio of female to male smokers. In many developing countries, public education about the dangers of cigarette smoking and effective cessation programs has contributed to the slowly falling rate. Nevertheless, lung cancer still remains to be the most common form of cancer in men worldwide and the fifth most common form of cancer in women.

This fatal disease like all other cancers, results from abnormality in the body's basic unit of life, the cell. Normally, the body maintains a system checks and balances on cell growth so that cells divide to produce new cells only when needed. Interruption in the balance of this system causes an uncontrolled division of cells that eventually forms a mass known as a tumor. Any of the tissues in the lung can become cancer, but most commonly, the cancer comes from the lining of the bronchi. Since this disease tends to spread very early in its course, it is very life-threatening and one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Although it can spread to any organ in the body, the adrenal glands, liver, brain, and bone, are the most common metastases.

Recent research point to the factor with the greatest impact on risk of lung cancer is long-term exposure to inhaled carcinogens. Most common of which is exposure to tobacco smoke. The occurrence of lung cancer is strongly linked with cigarette smoking, with about 90% of the disease arising as a result of tobacco used. The numbers of cigarettes smoke over time increases the risk. Among those who smoke two or more packs of cigarettes per day, one in seven will die of lung cancer. Passive smoking or inhalation of tobacco smoke from other smokers sharing or working quarters, is also an established risk factor for the development of the disease. Non-smokers who reside with a smoker have 24% increase risk for developing lung cancer compared with non-smokers. In the U.S. an estimated 3,000 deaths that occur each year are attributed to passive smoking. Exposure to asbestos fiber, silicate fibers that can persist for a lifetime in lung tissue following exposure to asbestos, also increases the risk of the disease. Radon gas is also a known cause of the disease with an estimated 12% of deaths. Familial predisposition or genetic susceptibility is also one cause of this killer disease, studies have shown that the disease is more likely to occur I n both smoking and non-smoking relatives of those who have had this deadly illness than in the general population. The presence of certain lung diseases, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a slightly increased risk for development. Air pollution from vehicles, industry, and power plants, can raise the likelihood of developing the disease in exposed individuals.

What are the signs of lung cancer?
The early stages of the disease may not have any symptoms, but as the tumor grows in size, it can produce a variety of symptoms that includes:
* cough (especially one that doesn't go away or gets worse in character)
* chest pain
* shortness of breath
* coughing up blood or bloody phlegm
* new onset hoarseness or wheezing
* recurrent problems with pneumonia or bronchitis
* weight loss
* loss of appetite
* fatigue
* bone pain
* dizziness or double vision
* numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
* turning yellow (jaundice)

Treatment of lung cancer can involve a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy as well as newer experimental methods, but prevention of the development of the disease through smoking cessation is most important.

About the Author:
Joann
Read More On Lung Cancer
Submitted on 2006-08-29
Article Source: http://www.articlesalley.com/

Dangers Of Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cell, is an incurable but treatable disease. While a myeloma diagnosis can be overwhelming, it is important to remember that there are several promising new therapies that are helping patients live longer, healthier lives. The estimated frequency of multiple myeloma is 5-6 new cases per 100,000 persons per year. Accordingly, in the USA 15,980 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2005. At present there are more than 50,000 people in the United States living with multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is a malignant proliferation of plasma cells that involves more than 10 percent of the bone marrow. It is a prototype primary malignancy of the bone associated with malignant plasma cells that secrete monoclonal immunoglobulins into the serum, the urine or both.

Multiple myeloma is the most common primary cancer of the bones in adults. The annual incidence in the United States is three to four cases per 100,000 population. Multiple myeloma represents 1 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the United States and 10 percent of all hematologic malignancies. The median age at diagnosis of multiple myeloma is 62 years. Only 2 to 3 percent of cases are reported in patients younger than 30 years.2

The disease is called multiple myeloma because myeloma cells can occur in multiple bone marrow sites in your body. If you have multiple myeloma but aren't experiencing symptoms, your doctors may just need to monitor your condition. If you're experiencing symptoms, a variety of treatments are available.

Blacks in the United States are twice as likely to suffer from multiple myeloma as whites. In fact, multiple myeloma is the most common hematologic malignancy in the U.S. black population.3 Multiple myeloma is rare among persons of Asian descent, with an incidence of only one to two cases per 100,000 population. Standard therapy for multiple myeloma includes alkylating agents administered with prednisone. The most commonly used alkylating agent is melphalan (Alkeran). Melphalan, 9 mg per m2, is given orally with 100 mg of prednisone on days 1 through 4. Courses of therapy are repeated at four- to six-week intervals for at least one year.

About the Author:
Daniel J.Fox
Multiple Myeloma is the most common Cancer of the Plasma Cells. More Info at http://www.eask.info.
Article Source: www.iSnare.com